The Keyblade Carol
by randomcat23
Summary: It's time for the annual Christmas play! Sora is directing A Christmas Carol and decided to make a few changes. But underneath the lights, props, and costumes does Sora have other motives? Post KH2, some spoilers
1. Jingle Bell Blues

Welcome one and all to my Christmas themed Kingdom Hearts fic! It's about time I did a seasonal story!

The beginning starts off kind of slow, give it time. It picks up as soon as Sora shows up, haha.

Oh, and this may be redundant, but if you've never read or seen A Christmas Carol, you might want to before reading this fic. It draws heavily on that story!

And this story takes place after KH2, so therefore, there may be some spoilers scattered throughout.

**Disclaimer:** Nope, I don't own Kingdom Hearts, any Final Fantasy characters that I mention, or the original A Christmas Carol.

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Chapter 1: Jingle Bell Blues 

Christmas was just around the corner. And although it never snowed on Destiny Islands, the temperatures did drop from their normal balmy numbers. The students at Destiny High wished for snow every year; they prayed so hard for the light, fluffy flakes. But, they never got them.

Riku watched a couple of his classmates fool around and make up a 'snow dance'. He nearly snorted at the sight and wished someone else was around to enjoy their stupidity. It was times like these that reminded Riku just how different he was from them, why he could never be like them. He had been tainted by darkness and that's a stain that can never be removed.

A cool breeze blew through the air and Riku realized why it had been a good idea to bring his school jacket. No matter how many times he argued with his mother, somehow, someway, that jacket made its way out the door with Riku. He would have to remember to thank her later.

In the mean time, Riku picked up his chemistry book, finally bored with his classmates' antics. Battle worn fingers flicked through the pages until his aqua eyes settled on the right page. He tried reading, but couldn't focus.

It had been almost six months since Riku and Sora's return to Destiny Islands. Six months ago, Riku was cloaked in darkness and had been convinced he would never be anything but. However, it seemed odd to him how in that short amount of time how quickly things had returned to normal. Half a year ago he was battling a universal threat; now he was battling his science teacher for a decent grade. How ironic.

Often times Riku's mind wondered back to those months in darkness. _"At least THAT was an adventure. At least stuff actually happened out there. But, here? No, nothing, nothing ever happens on Destiny Islands. What a small world."_

He had just decided to glance at the page again when Sora announced his presence with a "Hey, Riku!"

Riku grinned back at his best friend, "Hey, yourself."

Sora plopped himself down next to Riku and said nothing. Riku mentally shrugged and turned his attention back to the chemistry problem. His gaze was interrupted by a wandering hand that crawled on his current page; it belonged to Sora.

"Hey, Riku. You know what time of year it is?"

"Winter."

Sora laughed, "Well, yeah. But what does that mean for school?"

Riku raised an eyebrow at Sora; where was he going with this?

Sora answered for him, "It's time for the Christmas play!"

Now, this received a groan from Riku. He loathed those plays, any and all of them. What was the point of going to see one when nobody at his school could act?

"Come on," Sora punched him playfully, "It's not that bad. And guess who the director is!"

"Callie," Riku answered without hesitation; that girl was ALWAYS the director. Aqua eyes rolled down the page; what was the conversion factor for miles and kilometers again?

"Nope. Guess again."

Riku gave Sora a sideways glance, "Then, Marlene." The wind blew again and flipped a page right to the answer. _There are 2.2 kilometers in one mile_. Riku wrote that down and started to figure out the rest of the problem.

"Nope, again."

Now Riku glanced up. Marlene and Callie always, and he meant always, were the directors for the plays. More often than not, the two girls fought over the job which resulted in some very funny 'cat fights'.

Riku smirked at the memories. Some things never change. There was another pause and a shrug before Riku sighed and asked, "I don't know, who took the job from them?" Not that it mattered; there was no way he would be caught at one of those things.

"Me!" Sora answered gleefully.

"_Oh, no."_ Riku raised an eyebrow at Sora. "What did you go and do that for? Since when have you been director material?"

"I think I should expand my horizons. You know, since I can save the worlds and all, why can't I direct a play?" Sora struck a pose and pretended to stab a heartless.

"Well, good luck." But now that Sora was the director, Riku's interest in the play suddenly increased. "So, what play are you doing anyway?" Riku's pencil flew across the page as he wrote down the answer to the conversion problem.

"'A Christmas Carol'."

"Oh, goodie, a classic. Try not to screw it up."

"Well, I don't think I can. I came up with the best cast ever."

"Really?" Riku took a moment, studied Sora, and shook his head. He may have saved the worlds, but could he really direct a quality play? Riku doubted it with a grin.

"Really. I decided not to have tryouts because with the way I imagined it, I needed specific people. I needed the perfect cast. Thankfully, they all agreed. So, my artistic adventure can still go on!"

Riku clapped his hands mockingly. "Bravo."

"Well, I didn't get to ask one person yet."

"That's too bad." The silver-haired teen scribbled down another answer. Maybe if he wrote a lot, he could receive credit . . . Oops, he was supposed to reply to Sora. "So, who didn't you get to talk to? Was it Wakka? You know he skipped today so he could watch that blitzball game."

"No, no, I talked to him yesterday. He's going to play the Ghost of Christmas Present."

"How . . . fitting, I guess."

Sora laughed, "I think so. No, I've been meaning to ask you about the play."

Riku nearly fell off his bench. "Me? In the play? Sora! You have got to be kidding. I thought you knew me long enough to know that I hate," Riku clenched his fists in Sora's face for emphasis, "school plays."

"Aw, come on! It'll be fun. You're perfect for the part."

His shoulders slumped; there was no way Riku could get out of this one. Sora had his mind set, and when that happens, anything is possible. ANYTHING. "Alright, who did you cast me as? Not Tiny Tim I hope," Riku smirked, "That would be painfully ironic of you."

Sora laughed, "That would be a good role for you, but I think you're more fitting to play Scrooge."

There was a long silent pause as Sora's announcement sunk in.

"YOU CASTED ME AS SCROOGE?!" Riku flopped back down on the bench hoping this was some kind of dream.

"Yes."

"That's the main character! He's in every single freaking scene. Why? Why me?"

"Well, with an attitude like that, I'd say you were the perfect choice, Mr. Grouchy."

"Ooh, clever." Riku groaned and closed his eyes. "Can't you think of anyone else?"

"No, I said I wanted the perfect cast, and you're part of it! Besides, Professor already confirmed the cast."

"Damn."

"It's not that bad."

"Oh, yes it is."

Sora was shaking his head as Kairi ran up and hugged him. "What's with all the yelling, Riku?" Sora returned her hug and placed an arm around her waist.

"Ugh, Sora's gone and cast me in the school play."

Kairi giggled, "Oh, so that's what it's about." Her slender finger poked Riku in the chest playfully. "I think he makes a perfect Scrooge, Sora."

"Thanks, Kairi. At least someone understands my artistic genius." He kicked Riku in the shins. "First practice is tomorrow, Riku. It's right after school."

It looked like there was no way out of this one. Riku sighed again. Why him? Why did his best friend have to be so . . . so . . ._Sora_?

"Oh, and Riku?"

"What?"

Sora pointed at Riku's chemistry book, "You're doing the wrong chapter. It's chapter five, not six." He and Kairi walked off a bit but turned around when Riku didn't follow.

He had thrown his head back and muttered, "Damn."

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So, first chapter is done! It's on the short side; the chapters to follow are longer or should be. Thank you for reading and reviews are greatly appreciated! –randomcat23 


	2. Riku, the SilverHaired Reindeer

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Kingdom Hearts would I be writing fan fiction? No. And I don't own Final Fantasy or A Christmas Carol either!

Big thanks to readers and reviewers! Feel free to leave comments!

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Chapter 2: Riku, the Silver-Haired Reindeer

"Ok! Let's stop there and take a break!" Sora hopped down from the stage and his hand-picked cast dispersed into groups. For a first time director he was doing quite well.

The noise level in the room quickly increased and before it got too loud, Sora managed to say, "Riku, you should put more emotion into that last line!" The keyblade master then walked away to consult with Seymour about the costumes.

Riku raised an eyebrow. How could he put more emotion into such a bland character? It's not like he chose this part in the first place. Sighing, Riku picked up his script and took a seat in the audience. This was his favorite part of practice: recess. It was the only time he had to himself.

Sora probably would sit with him, if he wasn't off with Kairi doing who knows what. And it's not like he fit in with any of the other students. Come to think of it, Riku never felt like he was part of the group; back in the days before darkness he was above the group, superior in everyway. Now he was somewhat of an outcast.

"_Which"_, he thought, "_is to be expected_." Very few people knew the whole story, the truth. Wakka, Selphie and Tidus were probably some of the few who knew and they treated Riku like they always had.

But the other students, who seemed to have only heard the negative things Riku had done, separated themselves from him. Now, whether that separation was built out of fear or disgust, Riku didn't know.

And he didn't really care. He accepted it as a sort of punishment.

For the tenth time in the last half hour, Riku yawned. They had been here for over two hours saying line, after line, after line of endless script. And Riku was 'lucky' enough to be in every, single scene.

The script lay open on his lap. They had only gotten it a little over a week ago, but the pages were already torn and battered. Sora had made some changes to the original story, all of which were approved of course.

He said the changes were made so that the little kids could connect with the play more; most of the performances were for the younger students. But, Riku had a suspicion that Sora had other reasons as well.

For example, there was no Tiny Tim character; Sora had completely taken him out. Marley was now Scrooge's past mentor, Cratchit was Scrooge's best friend (Sora played Cratchit), and the Ghost of Christmas Present now had a very odd accent.

As Riku ticked off these things in his head, he corrected himself. Ok, so the accent was because Wakka played the Ghost and there was no way he could hide such a strong quality.

The cast began filing back into the area and Riku took it as his cue to jump on stage. There was only another half hour of practice and then he was free.

Seymour ran across the stage, his hands filled with fabric. "Make way! Make way! I'm running through!"

Riku was so, so tempted to stick a leg out and trip him, but contained himself. There was no need to create more drama. The costume-man made his way to the other side just as Sora reappeared and yelled for silence. But, it always took a few extra minutes to calm everyone down.

Currently, Selphie was twisting herself up in a curtain and saying something that sounded like, "Oh my God! Don't look at me!" She then fell giggling to the floor while Callie laughed.

Wakka was arguing with Tidus over a bitzball game. You could always tell bitzball was the subject for two reasons. One: That's all they ever talked about. And two: No idiot would wave their hands around like that if they weren't talking about the water sport.

Riku sighed and tried to look over his lines once more. Even with all the changes Sora made, 'Bah humbug' was still Scrooge's favorite phrase. Too bad Riku felt stupid saying it. The full cast list was written on the front cover; Riku reviewed it, doubting some of Sora's choices.

"A Christmas Carol"

By: Charles Dickens

Rewritten and directed by: Sora

Cast:  
Ebenezer Scrooge: Riku  
Bob Cratchit: Sora  
Jacob Marley: Tidus  
Ghost of Christmas Past: Kairi  
Ghost of Christmas Present: Wakka  
Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come: Selphie  
Villagers/Party people: Callie, Tidus, Kairi, Seymour, Vaan

The lights suddenly went out and the darkness was followed by over exaggerated screams. When light filled the room again, everyone stared at Sora and he shrugged, and began giving directions again. His leadership abilities some times surprised Riku.

"All right, everyone back into positions!" Sora waved his hands over his head to grab more attention. As everyone scurried to their proper places, Sora began talking to another student about special effects; the director wanted a fog machine and he just had to have it!

"But, Sora, there is a budget you know!" The freshman pointed out after Sora demanded the expensive prop.

Sora scratched his head, "Well, then we can cut back on wigs! Riku will just have to use hair gel."

Riku was very grateful for his excellent hearing. "I'm not using hair gel, Sora!" His voice bellowed over the auditorium. Sora glared at him for a moment, but then turned back to the freshman and commented on another way to save munny.

Riku took one last, quick glance at the script before throwing it down. It was one of the last scenes of the play; the part where Scrooge finds out he dies alone and no one cares. Sora did his best to rewrite the scene so that it wasn't too intense for the kiddies, but so it also kept its message.

Selphie had apparently untangled herself from the curtain and stood next to Riku with a lingering smile on her face. She was the lucky person to play the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

Riku raised an eyebrow; Selphie was a foot shorter than he was and wasn't this specter supposed to be threatening? She was about as threatening as a pile of marshmallows.

"Do you have your lines memorized Riku?"

"For the most part, yes."

"Me too!"

"Selphie? You don't say anything. You're the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come."

"I know!"

Thankfully, Sora yelled again and interrupted the pointless conversation. "All right everyone! We only have one more week before the performance. Let's focus!"

The next a half hour was dedicated to the most dramatic scene of the play. Well, it was supposed to be dramatic, but with Selphie in a 'giggling' state, it made it hard for the cast to progress past the first line. Riku spent the whole time on his knees where he was supposed to beg for mercy from the terrifying ghost.

"Please--," Riku was cut off by a giggle.

"I'm sorry! I really am! Let's try again!" Selphie waved her hand in apology.

Riku nearly growled, "Please, great—," But Selphie clutched her stomach and snorted.

"Selphie! What is the matter?" Sora asked, half laughing himself.

"I'm sorry! I've been thinking about something Callie said to me, and um . . . and, well, the expression on his face is _so_ funny!" The brown-haired girl couldn't hold in her laughter any more and fell to the floor in a laughing storm.

Riku fought to hide his annoyance. His aqua eyes glared at Sora; this was the twenty-second time Selphie had found a reason to laugh. How hard could it be to stand and point at a stupid tombstone?

And how could his expression be hilarious? All he did was knee down and plead for mercy! Sora apparently felt some annoyance because he ended practice there and shrugged apologetically to Riku.

Riku stood up immediately and gathered his school bag. The day was finally over. Without waiting for anyone, Riku walked swiftly to the back door.

The cool air met Riku as he exited to the outside. Normally, he would wait for Sora and Kairi, but they would be able to find him at the empty beach. He could not sit in that building any longer.

The sun was slowly sliding down to the horizon, an orange and yellow splotch against the light blue sky. Out next to the sun, Riku's childhood island was covered in a shadow. Waves lightly splashed against Riku's shoes, calling him out to that patch of land. His hand reached down and played with the soft sand.

How his heart had ached to return here! Even with all his adventures, somewhere in his head Riku always heard the echo of waves.

And now that he was back, all Riku could think of doing was leaving. He didn't belong with the people and their happy lives. This place was perfect; he didn't deserve to be here. Sora deserved it; Kairi deserved it; but not one like him.

Sora called out to Riku and the silver-haired boy stood up and watched his best friends join him. "Took you long enough!"

"Well, sorry. But, I had to clean up and make sure everyone left." Sora breathed hard.

"Whatever, let's go." With his backpack slung over his shoulder, Riku's feet began carrying him toward his house.

Sora and Kairi quickly followed Riku's lead. "Riku, you aren't annoyed with Selphie are you?" Kairi asked.

Riku looked at her. Was she seriously asking him that? How could he not be annoyed with someone who just wasted an hour of his life? It was an hour he could have spent doing more productive things like . . . well . . . oh, there were things he could have done!

"She didn't mean to insult you, you know."

"I wasn't talking about that," Riku snapped back. "For someone who doesn't have very many lines, Selphie always finds a way to screw things up."

Kairi had a retort on her lips, but Sora shook his head.

The trio headed into town, which was decorated brightly for the holiday season. Wreaths were tacked on every door and lights hung from the trees. Stores announced sales with big signs on their windows. Some people were even stapling fake snow to their roofs.

Riku's house was the first stop. He waved to Sora and Kairi, muttering about seeing them tomorrow. His front door closed with a soft click and Sora sighed.

"I think the darkness still bothers him," he wondered out loud.

"Why? I thought he had overcome it. King Mickey said so." The couple passed a man trying to get an inflatable reindeer to stand up.

Sora looked at her; how could he explain the feeling of darkness to someone so pure? Someone who's never felt it before? There was no way to put into words how the tug of darkness felt on the heart, or to explain the permanent scar it placed on the person.

Sora didn't answer Kairi. He himself had the shadows pull at him, but he couldn't imagine the wound it left on Riku. The experience and adventure in the darkness had humbled his best friend, but was there a point where you are too humble?

Sometimes, Sora missed the cocky, brash Riku of the old days . . .

"Hey Kairi. You know how I've been putting you off about the background drawings?"

Kairi nodded. Sora had asked her to draw large paintings for Scrooge's flashbacks. There would be three, he had said, each one depicting a different memory from Scrooge's past. But, Sora had never specified what scenes he wanted, so Kairi couldn't start. "Have you finally decided what you want me to draw?"

The keyblade master took one last look back at Riku's house, carefully decorated for the holidays, and thought about its owner. "Yeah, I think I have."

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Yay, second chapter is done! Next time: Dress rehearsal and the first part of the play! Thanks for reading and comments are appreciated! –randomcat23

And yes, everyone on Destiny Islands knows where Sora, Riku and Kairi have been . . . or at least they've heard the main points. Why? Because the three of them couldn't just suddenly appear and everyone would be all ok with it. And I can't imagine Sora keeping his mouth shut about saving the universe. But, that's just my thoughts.


	3. Rocking Around the Christmas Stage

**Disclaimer: **See previous chapters. I'm not creative enough to come up with new ones all the time!

If I use quotes from the original 'A Christmas Carol', I disclaim them now!

**Thanks to all readers and reviewers!** Don't hesitate to write out any comments!

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Chapter 3:Rocking Around the Christmas Stage

"Alright, alright everyone! This is our last practice; let's make it a good one!" Sora bellowed across the stage. He was answered with cheers.

Everyone drifted for a few more minutes, checking out each other's costumes. Despite some doubt, Seymour had done an excellent job. The stage was assembled as well. All props were properly placed, the lights were set with new bulbs, and sound system was up and running.

Riku joined Sora and Kairi on the edge of the stage.

His costume was simple enough. It looked like a school uniform; he wore a clean, straight pair of navy blue pants with a matching jacket. A black belt matched his shoes and contrasted with the white of the shirt.

Luckily, Sora had decided against wearing wigs and using hair gel, so Riku just had his hair pulled back in a ponytail. Sora wore a similar costume and Kairi was clad in her white dress for her part as the Ghost of Christmas Present.

"Nice job director," Riku grinned at his best friend. No matter how much he hated his whole idea, he couldn't help but congratulate Sora on a job well done.

"Thanks, it did turn out well didn't it?" His blue eyes gazed about the set.

Kairi agreed but commented, "Everything is ready except the flashback paintings. I have to finish them tonight."

Riku blinked, "How am I supposed to know how to react to these pictures if I've never seen them?"

"Oh, you'll be fine! It's a surprise to you just like it is to Scrooge. You're acting will be much more natural that way," Sora commented.

"That's stupid. I won't be prepared."

"Well, you know the lines. Believe me; they match up with the scenes."

"But Sora, why can't you tell me what memories you chose?"

But Sora never answered and called for the first act to start practicing.

* * *

(Act One)

"I have a snowball!" Tidus appeared on stage and proclaimed his creation.

Vaan ran onstage from the right and yelled, "Well, I have more!" His arms were full of fake snowballs. He than tossed one at Tidus and hit him in the head. (It had taken them a whole week to teach Vaan to do that correctly.) A small ripple of laughter ran through the audience.

"Not fair!" Tidus retorted and the two of them ran all over the stage in a mock snowball battle. Amidst the chaos, Riku, playing Scrooge, entered from the left, sporting a very grumpy expression on his face. What the audience didn't know was that he wasn't acting; that was his current mood.

"Oh! Scrooge's on my team!" Tidus announced and ran over to the hunched figure. "Now I'll win for sure! Take that Vaan!"

Riku moved sluggishly across the stage, expertly ignoring the two other cast members; he had had a lot of practice. He was about half way when they called out again, but soon they just exited to the side, their parts complete.

Riku stepped up onto a platform that represented the 'Local Hangout'. It had replaced 'Scrooge and Marley's' from the original play. Here, Sora awaited Riku in a chair. "Merry Christmas, Scrooge!" he called out cheerfully.

"Bah humbug."

"Come now, Scrooge. That's no way to talk during this time of year!" He hopped off his chair and stood next to Riku.

"It's exactly how I should talk! This time of year is nothing but pointless cheeriness."

"Cheeriness is never pointless, and besides, it's Christmas!"

Riku went over to the table and pretended to pour himself a drink. "Maybe for you, but for me it is just like any other time of year." He raised the drink dramatically, "Here's to the same thing over and over again!"

Sora laughed sadly, "Well, in any case, you are still coming to my Christmas party, are you not?"

Riku gave a wonderful glare, and answered shortly, "No."

"Why not, Scrooge? Who else are you going to spend Christmas with?"

"Myself."

"Why do you always have to do everything on your own? Christmas is all about getting together with good friends and making merriment."

But Riku was already exiting the local hangout. "Good day."

Sora shook his head and exited the stage. Slowly, Scrooge walked to his home, the back of the stage. He shivered and opened his gate. The music overhead signaled it was time, Riku gave a gasp and stared incredulously at his doorknocker, it had changed into a man's face. With another shake of his head, Scrooge yelled, "Bah humbug!"

The lights dimmed and the stage crew switched the props. When the light returned, the audience now looked curiously at Scrooge's bedroom: drab, cold, and lonely.

Riku shuffled over to a chair and ate a spoonful of air from the bowl he held. A sudden load _clunk_ drew his attention to the closed door. When no other sound occurred, the grumpy character went back to his pitiful dinner. Only a moment later _clanks_, _clunks_ and _scratches_ thundered from off stage.

With a frightened look, Scrooge glared at his bedroom door. It burst open with a bang and a gloomy figured entered. He was completely dressed in black and wore large black ear muffs. Instead of chains and boxes, this ghoul was wrapped up in key chains and fake munny.

Gasping, Scrooge turned back to the soup and muttered, "Must be this food." He chucked the bowl across the floor when the ghost spoke.

"Scrooooooge."

"Bah humbug!" He replied defiantly.

The specter yelled again, "Scroooooooge."

Riku curled up into the large chair, pretending to sleep.

"Will you not look at me?"

"I will not. There is nothing to look at."

The ghost gave a horrible yell, "You must listen to me!"

"Who are you?"

"In my past life I was Mick Ratton, your mentor."

Riku glanced again at his discarded food and said, "Can you sit down?" He stretched out a hand, gesturing for his guest to sit.

The pasty-faced character obliged. With a rattle of chains, he took a seat. "I have come to warn you."

"Warn me of what?" Scrooge eyed the ghost.

"Your lifestyle must change, or you will be alone for a long, long time."

"Bah! That is what I want! What do I need people for? What good are they?"

Mick cried, "You must stop this! Your friends care about you, but you won't let them listen! And they will understand!"

Scrooge mumbled and turned over in the chair to glare at the fire.

"You will be visited by three ghosts. Each one will show you different things."

"Bah humbug! I'm never eating that brand of soup again!"

"SCROOGE! LISTEN TO ME! YOU WOULD BEST TAKE HEED!" Mick Ratton got up and walked to the window, dragging his keychains.

"Where are you going?" Scrooge got up and followed.

"It is time I moved on. I've said what I'd come to say, there is nothing else I can do for you."

The lights on the stage flickered and went out. When they came back on, Scrooge was alone in the room, staring out the window. "Bah humbug! I'm going to bed!"

The stage darkened again. Riku sighed and glanced to his right. Sora was giving him the 'thumbs up' sign. Well, at least _someone_ was happy. Gippal, Nooj and Baralai scurried around the stage and moved the props. When the stage was light again, the audience was staring at Scrooge in his bed.

Riku rolled over so he didn't face the audience. There was nothing more annoying than a hundred kids and their parents staring at you. Riku faked a snore for good measure; he was supposed to be in deep sleep.

"_Five, four, three, two, one—" _Riku jumped out of bed at the sound of a clock striking midnight and called out, "What's that?"

At that moment, light shone on the new figure on the stage, the first of the three ghosts. The kids in the audience 'ooh' and 'awed' at the new sight. Riku nearly snorted but disguised it as a misplaced sneeze.

Kairi was dressed in her costume of white and carried a branch of fake holly. The belt tied around her waist glittered under the hot lights.

"Are you the ghost whose coming was foretold to me?"

She grinned softly, "I am."

"What exactly are you?"

"The Ghost of Christmas Past, to be exact." Kairi smiled; she really was perfect for the part.

" 'Past'? What 'Past'?"

"Your past."

"Then take me where you will so that I may get back to my normal dreams." Scrooge growled and looked back at his warm bed.

Without warning, the Ghost grabbed Scrooge by the hand and dragged him to the window, "Come, we have much to see."

A swift stage shift occurred next. Gippal nearly tripped over a cable cord but quickly corrected himself and smirked at his amazing balance. Sora gave a hurried whisper to Riku, "You'll like the background pictures I chose!"

"_Yeah, ok."_ Like it even mattered anymore. It was Scrooge's past, not his after all. With five seconds until the lights came back on, Riku ran the lines over in his head again. Kairi gave his wrist a quick squeeze and a new scene was before them.

Painted trees and buildings now made up the background. Above them, Baralai threw fake snow at Vaan's face but it still fell into place on the stage floor. With Kairi's hand on his wrist, she led him to the first flash back.

Scrooge turned around in wonder, the memories came flooding back. "I remember this place," he said in awe. "I remember it well; this is where I grew up."

The Ghost nodded, "Do you remember this too?" A slender finger pointed to a carefully sketched and painted picture.

One step at a time, Scrooge wondered over to take in the scene. "It is the first time I met Bob, all those years ago." The painting was of two young boys sitting in the snow. One with brown hair had his face covered in tears and he held his ankle. The other one was knelt down with a worried look on his face.

Riku walked around to the other side and a strange pang of memory poked his brain. Why did this scene resemble his meeting with Sora? Still in wonderment, Riku flowed right on with his next line: "I had just gotten out of school when I found him like that."

Scrooge's ghostly guide nodded and stepped next to him, "Nobody else had helped that boy but you."

Riku shot a look at her, not as Scrooge but as himself. What was this? What are were they thinking? While his teal eyes questioned her, his mouth moved with the next line, "That is true, but for some reason I was drawn to him. We became friends that day."

Kairi looked away, "Let's see another memory."

Lights dimmed and the stage crew scattered around while Riku narrowed his eyes at Kairi. But there was no time to question anything because the next scene appeared. Riku fixed his face from unease to awe.

"I think you'll remember this as well."

"And I do," Scrooge said. "Bob and I used to spare all the time." The painting showed the two characters in battle stances. Although they held the positions well, both boys grinned tauntingly. There was something too familiar about this as well . . .

The Ghost stepped lightly over the snow covered ground and peered closely at the two boys. "Looks like you're having fun."

"We always did." Scrooge answered, also bending down. "It was our daily routine. But I always won."

_I always won. _That line echoed in Riku's head as he tried to keep a straight face. Why hadn't he seen the similarity between the lines of the play and his past with Sora. What game was Sora playing? He looked back a Kairi and from the look on her face, he could tell she knew. She knew what Riku was thinking. She knew this was more than just a Christmas play.

For the sake of the children, Riku continued by saying, "Yeah, Bob never beat me. He always asked to fight, but always ended up as the loser." As he said the next line, Riku realized he was no longer acting, but putting real emotion into each word. "But we never stopped. We always would fight and then laugh it off."

The Ghost stood up and smiled again. "It's time to move on again."

Scrooge looked longingly at the memory, but stood up and followed the white ghost off the stage.

As soon as the lights fell away Riku grabbed Kairi's arm and glared at her. "What is Sora doing?" He whispered hurriedly.

Kairi yanked her arm away and answered, "What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about!"

"Shh! Riku, watch your mouth!"

His finger was raised with another growl but the lights came back; it was time for the final flashback. His eyes narrowed at her and he made the signal saying: _"I'm watching you!"_

Kairi just shook her head meaning: _"You're crazy!"_

"_Yeah, ok!" _Riku thought and regained his Scrooge pose. He would get down to the bottom of this. But that just made his mind wonder: What could the last memory be?

"Here, this is our last stop." Kairi voiced louder than need be. Riku snapped back to the play. Now the stage was dark; only a few spotlights remained. Suddenly, out of the mist (provided by the lovely mist machine) appeared the last background scene. It was covered in a black tarp, but the pit in Riku's stomach grew with anticipation; what was it?

"Spirit, what am I looking at?" Scrooge asked while searching the darkness for his memory. "What other happy memories do you have to show me?" He spun his head around to hear the ghost's response but the specter just shook its head.

When the tarp was ripped away viciously, Scrooge fell to his knees at the sight.

The memory was a dark one. Young Scrooge stood towering over Bob, wrapped in swirling darkness. His face was twisted in a smirk and his hand reached for Bob. The brown haired boy's hand was stretched but could not reach his friend. His blue eyes were torn with sadness.

Riku roared, "Why do you show these things to me spirit!?" His hands slapped the ground. "These are vile memories, best left forgotten!"

Riku's eyes glowed with rage. How could they? How could they bring up this dark, bitter memory and display it to the whole audience? It was obvious who the picture was of! Why?

"Memories are important. The make the person who they are," The Ghost of Christmas Past looked at the sorry state Scrooge was in. "No memory should be forgotten."

Riku snarled, "This one should disappear!" And when he jumped up and started to reach for the Ghost the lights flickered and dimmed.

Scrooge was back in his bed when the lights stabilized. The sheets were twisted around his feet and his hair was astray. As he sat up, an angry roar escaped his mouth, "BAH HUMBUG!"

With that the curtain closed on the stage and the audience erupted into applause. Some murmured about the flashback scenes; tales of darkness and naughty children where among the things discussed.

However, most people started muttering about the excellent show the students were displaying. Too bad they didn't know all of it wasn't acting.

* * *

Woah, it got emotional there! Anyway, next time: Riku hunts down Sora during intermission and Wakka shows us all how the Ghost of Christmas Present is done!

Meh, I hope the writing style wasn't confusing in this chapter!

Feel free to type out any comments! Thanks!-randomcat23


	4. Have Yourself a Wakka Christmas

**Disclaimer:** Nope, KH, Final Fantasy and 'A Christmas Carol' all belong to their proper owners. (Aka: not randomcat23)

**Thanks to all readers and reviewers!!**

* * *

Chapter 4: Have Yourself a Wakka Christmas

As soon as the curtain closed with a _fwoosh_ Riku leapt out of the bed and ran off stage. He had some questions for Sora and Sora better give him excellent answers. Riku slid by and dodged people who ran around the area. This might be harder than he thought.

Suddenly, Sora's brown head popped into view and Riku charged over to him. But he was stopped by a group of three girls lead by Leblanc.

"Riku, we want your autograph!" Callie chucked a piece of paper under Riku's nose.

Another hand, belonging to Shelinda entered the scene, "Yeah! Write us a personal message!" Leblanc gave him another sheet of paper and a very pointy pen. While doing so, she grabbed his wrist; there was no escape.

Riku snatched the pen from Leblanc and scribbled down a sentence on the three pieces of paper. Before they could thank him, Riku was sprinted around the corner in search of Sora, who had disappeared.

"What did he write us?" Callie studied her paper. "What does 'my way! Ri—'" mean?"

"Put the papers together, loves," Leblanc said and placed her paper out front. "See, when you put them together they say . . . oh my."

Shelinda looked and said, " 'Screw u, get outta my way. Ri—'" Her head turned to the side as she asked, " 'Ri'? He didn't even finish his name!"

Callie looked off in the direction the angry teenager ran and said, "I hope Sora runs fast!"

* * *

Why was it that when Riku needed to be somewhere, there was always something in the way?

If it wasn't autographs or congratulations, it was picking lint off his costume. Seymour was very good that the last one. Pretty soon, Riku expected to be called upon to tie everyone's shoes. Or spit in a jar. Or something completely pointless like that.

And for all the running and dodging and jumping Riku was doing, Sora still managed to evade his pursuer.

"Hey Riku!" Leblanc waved to him with more paper in her gloved hands.

"Not again!" Riku dashed up the stairs to the lighting room; Wakka had said Sora was up here. With a slam, Riku shut the door and locked it. Why was everyone bothering him? Considering nobody wanted anything to do with him on a daily bases, why are the obsessed with him now?

His eyes darted to the clock; there were only eight minutes before the show continued.

"Sora? You up here?" Riku tired to keep his voice calm, but it shook with anger.

"Riku? What are you doing here?" Gippal's head popped out of a curtain.

Riku frowned, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm making sure the lights are ready to go," Gippal eyed him.

Riku ran forward and searched the room, "Is there anyone else here?"

"Uh, no?" He hoped he was giving the right answer.

Riku sighed heavily and gritted his teeth, "Where's Sora?"

Gippal leaned over the light controls and peered out over the stage. "Looks like he's about to start up the play again. Maybe you should be . . . down there?" When he looked back, Riku was gone.

Kairi stopped Riku before he ran out on stage, "Hey, fix your hair!" Her fingers brushed imaginary dust off Riku's shoulder. "The second part is about to begin! Where have you been?"

"I could ask Sora the same question."

The princess looked away for a moment, "You've been looking for him?"

And before Riku could answer, the audience started clapping and Kairi pushed him out on stage. "Break a leg, Riku!"

"Only if I get to break Sora's first," he mumbled back. Riku stumbled back to his place on stage, furious with the fact that Sora had avoided him. If it wasn't for the fact that he made a commitment to this play, he would walk out right now.

Grudgingly, Riku slipped back into the bed and drew the covers over his body. He remained that way until a few moments later when the curtain was raised and a bright light shined down on the stage.

Blinking, Riku got up and pushed back the covers. "Where is that horrible light coming from?"

A great, deep laugh was his answer. "Scrooge! You have finally joined the feast!" Wakka sat up on a high chair, surrounded by delicious looking food. The blizter was grinning from ear to ear and raised a cup to Riku. "Come, enjoy some of this!"

Riku backed away from the green-robed man. "Are you the second ghost?"

His visitor answered, "I am. But, come, enjoy this first!" He tossed a ripe orange into Scrooge's hands and came down from his throne. The Ghost's robe was trimmed with white fluff and shimmered in the light. When he saw Scrooge's hesitation, the large ghost approached him with a worried look. "Do you not like oranges?"

"I like them just fine. But there is something wrong about taking food from a dead being." Some of Riku's left over anger leaked into the last sentence. "There is no way to get rid of you, is there?" He peered around at the feast with disgust.

"I'm afraid not! We have much to see and enjoy!" The ghost laughed again and then said, "Let's get going." And Scrooge unwillingly followed the Ghost of Christmas Present.

They walked off stage as the lights shut off and the background was rearranged. Riku looked around for Sora, but he was not there. _"I'll get him eventually."_

When Wakka and Riku made their way back on stage, they stood outside a window, looking in on a joyous party. Wakka shuffled merrily to the window and pointed in, "You know these folks right?"

"Indeed I do," Scrooge answered and named all the people inside. "George, and there's John. Betty is over in the corner next to Matthew whom we call 'Skippy'."

"'Skippy?'" The Ghost snorted.

"He really likes peanut butter." Scrooge answered quickly and finished with, "And lastly, Bob and Kathleen over there."

It took every once of his acting spirit for Riku to say 'Bob and Kathleen' without sounding malicious. Since Riku was currently angry with both Sora and Kairi (who played Bob and Kathleen) it was very hard to differentiate between the real people and the fictitious characters.

In fact, Riku thought he did a pretty good job of sounding happy, like he was supposed to.

"Seems like quite the party, ya?" the ghost observed. The people inside the house laughed and moved around; they were playing some kind of game. "Weren't you invited?"

Riku narrowed his eyes, "Yes I was, but I never go to those silly parties. They make me . . ." And Riku frowned, completely lost for words. What was his line again? Good thing Wakka is good at improvising.

"Feel out of place?" He finished for Riku.

Riku looked back at him, "Yes, I always feel out of place."

"Is it them who make you feel out of place? Or is it your own fault?"

"What are you saying?"

"Do you like being miserable?"

"What a stupid question! No, I do not enjoy being miserable!"

"You sure act like it; I mean, who turns down a party invitation to just stay by themselves?"

"Shut it, Spirit. I'm watching them play a game."

"I think you should listen to me."

"Fa la la, I'm not." Riku flinched slightly; he hated that line.

Wakka bent down a bit and said, "A friendship requires input from both sides. You can't help a friend with a problem and then not accept their help for your problem."

For the most part, that last line was out of place. Every time they had practiced that line, Riku complained; it just didn't fit the situation. But now, after his realization that Sora had other plans with this play, it made more sense. But why was Sora preaching to Riku from a Christmas play?

Why couldn't Sora just say it to Riku's face? _"Talk to me, you jerk."_

But then Riku wondered: Would he have answered? Would he have accepted Sora's help? Probably not. Riku listened intently to the conversation in the play.

The cast at the party laughed suddenly and someone suggested, "Let's play charades!" Everyone agreed.

"Here I'll go first!" Tidus stepped forward and thumped himself on his chest. "Guess who this is!" The boy stood in front of his friends and laughed a little.

Then he turned his smile upside down and shoved his hands in his pockets. Tidus's eyes narrowed and he slumped over. While he walked around he stood away from the other people, glaring at them.

Scrooge watched from the outside, a large pit forming in his stomach.

"I know who it is!" A girl giggled, "He must be Scrooge!"

The room erupted with laughter and requests for Tidus.

"Do the scowl again! Haha!"

"Wait, wait! Heh!" Another person clutched their stomach, "Do that again!"

And while Tidus pranced around the room showing off his acting skills, two people stood off to the side and frowned. One of them, Bob, stepped forward and said, "Knock it off guys."

"Hey, come on! It's just a little fun!" Tidus nudged Bob's shoulder. "Besides you know it's true! No one is as grumpy as Scrooge."

Bob was not amused, "I don't find it funny. Scrooge isn't here, so you can not make fun of him."

The rest of the party's smiles disappeared. "Bob you're being unfair."

"Yeah, you know we all mean it in good fun!"

Bob swallowed, "Some of you may, but others," he paused, "others really mean to bash Scrooge."

The joyous atmosphere changed to an awkward one. "Why do you bother sticking up for him? He's already betrayed you before!"

"Yeah, I never understood how you are still friends!"

Riku slowly took the whole conversation in. So, Sora had been defending him? He stood up for him even when surrounded by peer pressure. He breathed out softly; maybe he shouldn't be mad at Sora for doing this production. In fact, he owed him something.

Riku couldn't believe he had been oblivious to his friend's help. Sora had always been a loyal pal, always. Recently, Riku hadn't done a very good job of showing his gratitude.

Not once had Sora blamed Riku for anything; he never held him at fault. And Riku just brushed that off, and wanted to punish himself.

He shook his head, dismissing the thoughts. It was time to move forward.

Well, ok, he could give it a try. Riku could try and tell his friends what was going through his head. He really didn't have to suffer alone; he had been a fool to try.

A hand on his shoulder brought Riku back to the play. "It is time I returned you home, Scrooge." Wakka raised an eyebrow quickly.

"Take me back, spirit; I don't need to see anymore of this."

And with that, the two of them walked back to Scrooge's bedroom. (After a quick background change of course.) The scene ended with Scrooge in bed, pondering what he had just seen.

Riku was doing the same, finally realizing what Sora wanted to say.

Scrooge's change of heart may not come until the next scene, but for Riku, he could already feel his heart mending.

* * *

I'll try really hard to get the last chapter up before Christmas. Really hard.

If I don't get that chapter up before Christmas: **I want to wish everyone out there a very Merry Christmas!!**

Thanks for reading and reviews are welcome!-randomcat23


	5. God Rest Ye Merry Keyblade Masters

**Disclaimer:** Newsflash! Randomcat23 does not, in fact, own any characters, plots, or media mentioned here! That is all.

Sorry this chapter is so late! It's so late, it's out of season…but, oh well!

**Thanks to all readers and reviewers!**

* * *

Chapter 5: God Rest Ye Merry Keyblade Masters 

Riku flopped back down on the bed, his head swarming with thoughts. He nearly missed his cue to start the next scene. But his mind jolted back to the present and he quickly made his way to the bedroom window.

"Who's there?" He asked, using all his effort to sound scared.

A dark, thin hand reached through the window and beckoned him.

"Will you not answer me?" Scrooge asked and stepped back from the black being. When he received no answer the cranky man continued, "Fine. Take me where you will."

The theater abruptly turned completely back as the stage crew scooted around the scenery. Riku's eyes followed them even in the dark. Scratching his head, he wondered how to keep his mind from wondering.

Riku kept thinking about Sora, Kairi and what they had done with this play. Was all of it just for him? The idea was still odd to him. The tall boy shifted his feet and sighed; no matter what, he had to finish this play so he better keep his head in the game!

When the lights reappeared they were not bright. The stage was dimly lit and fog rolled over the sides. _"Maybe they overdid it with the fog?" _Riku pondered and watched the fog become thicker. _"Yeah, they defiantly overdid it."_

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come stood a few feet away from Scrooge. It was completely clothed in pitch black; neither skin nor face was visible. Scrooge took a step back and whimpered, "Spirit, you frighten me more than the others."

That line, with all do respect, was almost silly. There stood Riku, tall and strong. On the other side Selphie stood, short and giggly. And this was supposed to be scary? Riku didn't think so and he stifled a laugh.

At least Selphie didn't giggle. Hauntingly she raised a hand and pointed to the opposite side of the stage. A beam of light illuminated a small house, dreary and grey. People moved about on the inside.

The dark ghost gestured for Scrooge to step forward and look at the house. He obliged and put an ear to the door.

"Do you remember that one time we ran down to the beach during the storm?" Someone cackled.

"Yes, and you blamed your ruined clothes on . . . oh what was his name?" Another voice laughed.

"I don't remember the name. But I know who you're talking about," came a third.

The first person spoke, "Yeah, it was easy to blame your problems on that guy. He was so moody." (Riku frowned. 'Moody'? He was 'moody'?)

"Ta-ha. That's right. I never liked him."

The group laughed and then the second person burst out with, "Scrooge! Hah! That was his name! Haha, that guy really had some problems."

"I don't think he knew what he had."

Scrooge turned away viciously. "Spirit, show me no more. I don't want to see any of this. Please tell me someone cares for me."

Again the scene changed and the spirit and Scrooge now were in the presence of Bob and some friends. They appeared older than they had been in the last dream. It seemed multiple years had passed since then. Scrooge noted that once again he was absent from this group.

"Congratulations everyone, we graduated!"

The group shared hugs and celebrated. Apparently, they all had completed High School successfully and were off to bigger and better things. Amidst the group, Bob stood in the middle, grinning and clapping his friends on the back.

The group separated a bit and a person asked, "Bob, where is your friend, Scrooge?"

Bob looked sideways, "I haven't seen him."

Everyone traded looks.

"He was at graduation right?"

"You're not with him?"

"I thought you were best friends?"

Bob mumbled something and then said, "I'm done with him. If he doesn't want to be friends then I'm not bothering him anymore."

Riku raised an eyebrow. Ok, so Sora wasn't actually thinking this . . . was he? What the hell? Riku was just . . . he was just . . . _"Damn." _Alright, so the play must be exaggerated right? He pondered this for a moment and slowly the characters drifted off stage.

The last one to leave was Bob and he spoke saying, "Goodbye, Scrooge. I hope you find what you're looking for alone."

If that wasn't depressing, Riku didn't know what was. He tilted his head a bit, thinking again. What was the best way to approach Sora about this thing? Oops, he had a line here.

Immediately, Scrooge yelled out, "Spirit! Show me now more! I'm changed, I promise!"

"_Oh, no." _

They never could get past this next part! Selphie always cracked up when Riku pleaded for mercy, always! That girl could not control her stupid laughter! So far the play had gone perfectly—more or less—and Riku cringed at the thought of screwing up the last scene.

He folded his hands and got down on his knees. Sighing Riku said his line, "Please, dear spirit, say it isn't so!"

Riku's eyes shot back Selphie. From this close he could see her eyes bulging while she tired to contain giggles. It wouldn't be much more than three seconds before she exploded.

With a sudden burst of strength, Riku leapt up and improvised with: "NEVER MIND SPIRIT! DON'T SAY ANYTHING! JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE!" His hand reached into the dark hood and covered Selphie's mouth just as she opened it to laugh.

Sick, now there was spit on his hand!

Riku's body moved quicker than his brain. Before he knew it, his arm was stretched out and Selphie was flying across the stage. She landed on her butt and slid behind the curtain.

It was Riku's turn to hide his giggles. He almost forgot that the play was still going on. The audience was completely silent; everyone's eyes were widened with shock and questions.

Quickly, Riku composed himself by closing his opened mouth and moving into a more 'Scrooge-like' position. He could feel everyone staring at him; they all waited for Riku to continue or in the case of the crew: to cover up for his sudden outburst. If he was going to change the play, he had to carry it by himself.

Riku just hoped the stage crew and light crew could take his hints. "Oh, woe is me! The spirit has left me! Please don't leave me here! Take me home! I'm a changed man! I'll be thankful for what I got and let my friends help me."

"_Come on guys! Work with me here!"_ Riku gritted his teeth while he curled up on the floor and pleaded. He was running out of lines! Let's face it; Riku was creative, but not THAT creative.

But he let out a sigh of relief as the lights turned out and the stage crew shuffled the props again. _"Perfect! We can just go on with the rest of the play now!"_

Within ten minutes the play was finished. No other mishaps occurred and as the cast came on stage they were met with rounds of applause. People stood up, clapped and yelled compliments.

In the middle of all of this, Riku stood at center stage, surrounded by everyone. It finally hit him that everyone was congratulating him on his performance. There were no nasty comments and no shifty looks. Everyone was actually pleased with him.

Weird, but somehow satisfying. A little voice in the back of Riku's head reminded him that it was all Sora's fault after all. With a sigh, Riku agreed; he owed Sora something.

Slowly, the chairs emptied and people went home. The cast said their goodbyes and went off to join their families. It was Christmas Eve after all.

But before Riku left to find his parents, he found the director standing with Kairi off to the side. Quickly, he grabbed Sora's arm and glared at him.

Kairi stepped back, was Riku still angry?

"That was a stupid thing you did," Riku peered down at his shorter friend.

"What? I didn't do anything."

"You know what you did with the play."

And before Sora could reply, Riku continued, "Thanks for it."

"You're welcome," Sora grinned back with his hands linked behind his head. "And besides, what are friends for?"

What are friends for?

'What' indeed. If Riku had any annoyance or anger left over from the play, it seeped out and disappeared now. Suddenly, he felt ready to talk about everything. The darkness, his betrayal, everything.

Riku had been stupid lately. He forgot the most important thing about friendship: Friends are there whenever you need them and stay with you forever.

"Hey Sora, Kairi!"

The couple turned around and Sora answered, "Yeah?"

"You guys want to hang out tomorrow or something? Swap some stories?"

"I think I can work you into my schedule."

"Sora," Riku warned and jogged after him.

Sora backed up and started running, "Ah!! Help! Riku's gonna kill me!!!" He waved his hands around wildly and Kairi laughed as she chased after him.

A crowd of parents watched the scene before them. They didn't see two Keyblade Masters, one light and one dark. They didn't see a princess who chased her companions. All they saw were three friends fooling around in the snow.

And that's the way it should be.

* * *

Gah, it's finally done. Sorry again about the wait! Any comments are much appreciated!-randomcat23 


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